ATMA

Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA)

The Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) is an autonomous registered body responsible for agriculture and allied technical dissemination in various districts of India. This institution is able to receive funds directly (State / Government of India, private institutions, membership, cooperation with beneficiary etc.), contract agreement and maintenance of accounts, besides being able to pay fees and operating expenses for self-reliance.

The Agricultural Technology Management Agency (Atma) is the institution of major partnerships who are engaged in agricultural activities to stabilize the development of agriculture at the district level. This is a meaningful effort towards decentralization of public agricultural technology system management along with integration of agricultural extension and research activities.

ATMA is a society of key stakeholders involved in agricultural activities for sustainable agriculture development in the district. It is a focal point for integrating Research and Extension activities and decentralizing day-to- day management of the public Agricultural Technology System (ATS). It is a registered society responsible for technology dissemination at the district level. As a whole the ATMA would be a facilitating agency rather than implementing Agency. The funds allotted for ATMA includes Establishment of ATMA office at district headquarters, strengthening of line departments by providing infrastructural facilities, establishing FIACs The ATMA will not encourage any practice or program which, the line departments were already initiated. With the minimum budget, ATMA can introduce or demonstrate some of the programs as innovative model, which can be replicated by farmers’ organizations.

The ATMA at district level have linkage with all the line departments, research organization, non-governmental organizations and agencies associated with agricultural development in the district. Research and Extension units with in the project district such as ZRS or substations, KVK and the key line departments of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Horticulture and Fisheries, Forestry etc. would become constituent members of ATMA. Each Research-Extension (R-E) unit would retain its institutional identity and affiliation but program and procedures concerning district-wise R-E activities would be determined by ATMA Governing Board (GB) to be implemented by its Management Committee (AMC).

ATMA  Main Programme

1. farmer training programme.
2. Organizing Demonstrations .
3. Farmer- Scientist Interactions.
4. Kisan Mela organized.
5. ‘Farmers’ Conference’ and ‘Feild Day’ organized.
6. Organizing Exposure visits for skill development of farmers.
7. Publication of useful agro-literature.
8. Formation and capacity building of farmer beneficiary groups.
9. To increase participation of private sector for all round development of agriculture.
10. To encourage the participation of women in the agricultural sector.
11. Establishment of Farm School.
12. Publication and dissemination of agricultural success stories.
13. To take steps towards empowerment of research-extension-farmers-market link.

For more details:- weblink- www.atmasimdega.in can be seen.